rvknowles



E. R. KNOWLES.

ELECTRIC SIGN.

APPLICATION mu) MAR. 1.1913.

Patented Aug. 8, 1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET L amen 01 7 $1,113 alto M4421 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDWARD B. KNOWLES, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOB TO MEBCANTILE ADVERTISING COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

ELECTRIC SIGN.

new and useful Improvements in Electric Signs, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to electric signs and.

letters, the sign being of that type in which each letter has combined therewith a lamp to form' a .unit whereby any combination of units may be made according to the name, words, or combinations of names and words desired.

.The invention has for one of its objects to rovide a sign of this character which can he made large or small, according to requirements, and one in which every part is interchangeable and readily renewable and wherein the construction is comparatively simple, inexpensive and durable.

Another object ofthe invention is the provision of a letter or character structure in the form of a casing having at one or more sides the characters or letters to be illuminated by the incandescent lamp which is in: closed by the casing, the letters being readily removable for interchanging, and the letter structure as a whole being readily removable from the incandescent lamp.

Another object of the invention is the provision of an improved, novel and simple lamp socket construction which forms a sup- .port for the letter device as well as a holder for the incandescent lamp, said socket having connectors which interlock with the connectors of adjacent sockets for connecting the lamps in the circuits.

Another objectof the invention is the employment of a simple and effective supporting frame or base in which the lamp and letter units are mounted.

With these and other objects in view, as will appear as the description proceeds, the invention comprises the various novel features of construction and arrangement of parts which will be more fully described hereinafter and set forth with particularity in the claims appended hereto.

In the drawings, which illustrate one embodiment of the invention, Figure 1 is an end view of the sign. Fig. 2 is a front view of a letter and lamp unit with portions of the Specification of Letterslantent.

Application filed March 1, 1913. Serial No. 751,459.

base or socket in section. Fig. 3 is a central vertical section of a unit. Fig. 4-is a horizontal section of a unit. view of a letter element. Fig. 6 is a vertical section of the letter element. Fi 7 is a side view of the frame for holding t is letter and lamp units. Fig. 8 is a bottom lan view of the terminal connector blockoPthe sign. Fig. 9 is a section of Fig. 8. Fig. 10 is a sectional view of a spacing connector block adapted to be inserted between words. Fig. 11 is a front view of a sign consisting of a plurality of letter and lamp units mounted in the foldin" frame.

Similar reference characters are employed to designate corresponding parts throughout the views.

Referring to the drawings, A designates Fig. 5 is a front the letter section of a unit, and B, the socket.

suitable material of such shape and size as to fill the open sides of the casing. The

letters may be made as an outline 2, as shown in Figs. 2 and 5, with the rest of the letter element opaque, while the letter 2 itself is translucent to permit the light to pass therethrough,.or the letter element may be made plain, as shown in Fig. 11. The sides 3 of the letter casing are preferably solid and opaque, and the top 4 connects the two walls 3' at the top, while thebottom plate 5 connects them at the bottom, such bottom plate 5 having an opening 6 for receiving the lamp, and at the opening 6 is a downwardlyextending frusto-conical flange or neck 7 for fitting around the upper end of the tapering socket or base piece B of the lamp. The top 4 of the casing has a .ventilating opening 9 and a hood 10 under the opening. To

form supports for the upper portions of the 13 to the letter casing, the said spring passing horizontally across the outer face of the letter element 1 at the top. The bottom of each letter element is retained; in place by a spring catch or clip 14" carried by the bottom 5 of the letter casing. In this manner, the letter elements are readily removable and interchanged without requiring the removal of the whole letter device A. Of course, a letter device of this character can be employed with a letter element only on one side while the opposite side is open to allow the li ht to shine out, or the cas ng may be closed on three sides. .The caslng is so proportioned as to be large enough to inclose the incandescent lamp bulb L.

The socket or base iece B is made of porcelain or other suitable insulating material and has, in the present instance, a rectangular base 14 and rising'therefrom is the upwardly-tapering socket ortion 8 in which is arranged the metal soc et or contact piece 15 into'which is fitted the contact base 16 of the lamp, and the central contact 17 of the lamp is adapted to engage a contact piece 18 in the bottom of the socket 8. These contacts 15 and 18 are fastened in place by screws 19 and 20, respectively, whlch pass into the chamber of the socket upwardly from the grooves 21 and 22 in the bottom surface of the base 14 of the socket piece. Assuming that the connectors 27 and 26 are connected respectively with the positive and negative sides of the circuit the path of the current consisting of the connector 27, screw 20, contacts 18 and 17, lamp filament 25, contact base 16, contact socket 15, screw 19, and connector 26.

As a matter of fact, the wires of the supply oircuit are not connected directly with the screws 19 and 20, as connectors 26 and 27 are connected respectively with said screws, which connectors are disposed in the grooves 21 and 22 that extend parallel to each other from one end of the base 14 to the other. Each connector 26 or 27 consists of a narrow strip of copper or other suitable metal doubled centrally on itself and formed at one end into aneye 28 or headed stud, while the extremities of the metal strip are bent into spring jaws 29 so shaped as to receive the headed stud or eye 28 of the connector of adjacent letter and lam unit. The connectors are mounted in their respective slots of the base piece with the jaws 29 disposed within the base piece, while the tongue portions or headed studs 28 project beyond the base piece at the end opposite from the jaws. The screws 19 and 20 serve as the sole means for holding the connectors in place.

The casing or frame C in which the letter and lamp units are mounted is a channelshaped structure 30 just wide enough to receive the rectangular bases 14 of the socket pieces. The sides 31 of the supporting frame have inwardly-extending flanges 32, Fig. 2, which engage over the bases 14 of the socket pieces. n this manner, the letters are placed in the frame of holder 14 by being mserted into the latter from the ends. In inserting the letter and lamp units, they are so arranged that the projecting extremities of the connectors of the units will extend in the same direction so that the said projectin extremities 28 of the connectors of each unit will extend into the jaws 29 of the adjacent unit. The holding frame C is mounted in brackets or supports comprising legs 32 and a U-sha ed member 33 that embraces the body 0 the holder or frame C and has inwardly-extendin lugs 34 engaging over the upper edges 0 the holder or frame Any number of these brackets 33 may be employed for each casing, two being shown in the present instance, and the holder or frame C is secured with respect to the brackets by set'screws 34 in the brackets which screw into engagement with the frame C. In connection with the sign, an end connector block D, Figs. 8, 9 and 11, is employed, the said block being a rectangular porcelain or other body 35 having grooves 36 and 37 for the connectors 26 and 27, and to these connectors are attached the positive and negative wires of the supply circuit, as shown in Fig. 8, each connector being formed with spring jaws 29 to engage the projecting headed studs of the connectors on the adjacent unit. Where it is desired to separate letters, a spacing connector block E, such as is shown in Fig. 10, is employed, this block being substantially the same as the base 14 of a lamp socket piece, with the exception that the socket portion is absent, and i in each spacing connector block is mounted the usual connectors, only one being shown in the section.

In order that the letter devices A may be kept in proper relative position on the socket pieces B, that is, prevented from turning, the neck 7 of each letter device has a notch 40 to engage a projection or equivalent means 41 on the socket piece.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, the advantages of the construction and of the method of operation will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art to which the invention appertains, and while I have described the principle of operation of the invention, together with the apparatus which I now considerto be the best embodiment thereof, I desire to have it understood that the apparatus shown is merely illustrative, and that such changes may be made 1 5 when desired as are within the scope of the claims appended hereto.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new, is

1. A lamp and letter unit comprising a 1 rectangular base piece of insulation having a rising chambered projection forming a lamp socket, a lamp in the socket, a letter bearing structure inclosing the lamp and having a downwardly extending neck on its bottom fitting the exterior of the projection, and interlocking means on the projection and neck for preventing turning of the said structure.

2. A lamp and letter unit comprising a base piece consisting of a base having a rising upwardly tapering socket projection, a lamp carried thereby, and a letter bearing structure having a downwardly flaring neck fitting the upper portion of the said projection for supporting the structure in spaced relation above the base.

3. A lamp and letter unit for signs comprising a socket having a base provided with a plurality of grooves in its bottom, and opening into opposite sides of the base, and metallic connectors fastened in the respec tive grooves and each having an end projecting out of its groove.

4. A lamp and letter unit for signs comprising a socket having a base provided with a plurality of grooves in its bottom, and metallic connectors fastened in the respective grooves, each connector consisting of a strip doubled on itself with its extremities forming spring contact jaws and having its doubled portion formed into a contact plug or tongue to engage the jaws of a connector of an adjacent unit.

5. A lamp and letter unit comprising a base and socket having contacts in the socket and provided in its bottom surface with grooves extending from one side to the other, connectors extending longitudinally in the grooves, with one end of each connector projecting out of the end of its groove and from the base and single fasteners between the connectors and the respective contacts.

(3. The combination of a sockets, each having in its bottom grooves extending from one end to the other, eonnectors in the grooves, the connectors of one socket engaging those of adjacent sockets, and a channel-shaped support in which the bases of the sockets are'seated and which serves to cover the grooves and connectors.

7. The combination of a plurality of sockets having rectangular bases, a channel-support in which the bases are assembled having flanges engaging over the bases, and connectors in the bottom of each base and ranged to engage with the connectors of adjacent sockets.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature KNOWLES.

in presence of two witnesses.

EDWARD R.

Witnesses:

FRANoEs V. HEIART, A, F. TIIACHER. 

